The high altitudes are the home of this Pleasing Fungus Beetle. Rotting wood loaded with fungus is a good place to look for them.

This species of Pleasing Fungus beetle is found in the mountains of select western states. Their steely gray elytra (wing covering) is speckled with black dimples akin to the depressions seen on golf balls. The higher elevation presents a different ecosystem and this insect takes advantage of the rotting wood found on the mountainsides.

As their name suggests, this species is enjoys fungus because it is a food source for them. They are often spotted walking around, on or under rotted logs, tree trunks and branches. Females lay their fertilized eggs on fungus. When larvae hatch, they stay on that fungus and eat it.

Larvae look very different from adults. Their appearance is more worm-like with spiky fringe around the edges of their black and white tubular bodies. They molt several times leaving exoskeleton 'skins'. When they are ready to pupate, they hang onto the last 'skin'. Look for these under logs or branches where adults are seen as they tend to stay relatively close despite their different life stages.

This beetle is most active in the summer and can be found in forests, along creeks or streams or in wooded canyons, especially in areas with moisture, which is helpful for fungal growth.

Legs: Beetles have three pairs of legs located at the thorax, numbering six legs in all.

Territorial Reach (A-to-Z)

Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed below as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections below indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.

The map below showcases (in red) the states and territories of North America where the Pleasing Fungus Beetle may be found (but is not limited to). This sort of data can be useful in seeing concentrations of a particular species over the continent as well as revealing possible migratory patterns over a species' given lifespan. Some species are naturally confined by environment, weather, mating habits, food resources and the like while others see widespread expansion across most, or all, of North America.